Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.
Lone Ranger
Posted 2007-10-05 2:17 AM (#621)
Subject: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Tourer

Posts: 447
Cleveland, GA

Got my Vision today!   It shipped quicker than the dealer thought.  My wife and I took it out this evening and went to visit one of my sons.  We put about 130 miles on it on interstate roads and city driving.  All I can say is this is a SWEEEET ride!

It handled extremely well - I did some parking lot maneuvers such as U-turns and sweeping S-turns.  Scraped floorboards several times there.  The whole time I was maneuvering, I had a passenger onboard (either my wife, my son, or my future daughter-in-law).  I felt better about leaning it than I do my Honda Shadow 1100.

Since I am still breaking it in, I didn't get above 80 mph (okay, 90 once) on the interstate, but generally stuck to 70-75.  Good response, even in 6th gear.  Even though 6th is true overdrive, I usually hit it around 50-55 or so.  The gears did have a distinctly solid clunk when shifted, but much quieter than the prototype I rode in July.  I kind of like the sound - it sounds solid, to me.

Very comfortable ride.  I was able to move my feet all around on the long floorboards.  When the engine heat began warming my legs up, I just moved my feet forward so the air could blow up my pants legs.  No problem.  My wife loved being able to move around and stretch.  She said she felt like she was sitting in a car.  She said she wouldn't ever get back on my Shadow - even if it does have a Mustang seat.  She said the ride was quite comfortable and didn't bother her back at all (she has had spinal problems and much pain for over 10 years). 

The electrically-raised windshield was neat.  I kept it down most of the time and had a little wind in my face (the way I like it), but sometimes I raised it all the way to be able to hear what my wife was saying. 

Really good layout of the gauges - and they were easy to read at night with the blue lighting.  Most of them were analog, the way I like them, but the information display was digital.  It was pretty  easy to figure out how to cycle through the displays - total miles, trip 1, trip 2, cumulative miles per gallon, cumulative time ridden, instantaneous miles per gallon, and range (how many miles left in the gas tank).  Also on the digital information display was the time, temperature, and which gear the bike was in (sometimes there was a bit of lag time in the gear indicator, and it would take a little while for it to catch up with the actual gear it was in - a little bothersome when trying to find first gear and are already there, even though the readout shows 2nd).

I liked the radio and speakers, especially the way the volume went up or down proportional with my speed.  The speakers weren't all that, though, and the sound was kind of distorted at higher speeds (goes with the territory, though). 

The headlight and the HID light was freaking AWESOME!  I am used to the wimpy lighting on my Shadow (even with the H-4 bulb and two driving lights), so the way the Vision lit up the world totally rocked!

On the other hand, though, the rocker switches on the dash panel (control switches for the heated handgrips, hazard flashers, HID light) would have been better had they had some kind of lighting to either show what they were or if they were on.

I thought my wife was going to have a hemmorhage when I demonstrated the tip-over points on the bike.  I told her and the kids, "Watch this," and let the bike fall over on its side.  The tip-over point held it up at about a 45-degree angle, which made it easy to pick back up.  They were properly amazed.  :wink:

The trunk does indeed hold two large full-face helmets, with just a scosh bit of room left over.  The trunk lid light was handy, too.

Yep, love the new ride.  I'll post photos later - we were too busy riding to take pics of the new Vision.

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Tramp
Posted 2007-10-05 7:55 AM (#623 - in reply to #621)
Subject: RE: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Cruiser

Posts: 80
Nice write up. Did you passengers say anything about the saddle bags being against their calves?
When we took our test ride, my wife and another lady both commented on that. The rep said an optional passenger floor board is available, but the stock ones were on the test ride models.
Thanks.
Thom
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pollolittle
Posted 2007-10-05 8:22 AM (#624 - in reply to #621)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Visionary

Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN
Congrats, I have the street version with the tour pak coming. I have had mine about a week and have yet to test a floorboard to see if it scrapes, I am still a little skeered to lean it that far. I also, have not had the chance to check out the tip over feature, nor have I seen it. Does it not scrape up those points where it lands? I almost got the chance to check out the tip over feature, I was pushing it in to the garage and thought the kickstand was still down, nope it wasn't, quite the struggle to right it with the handlebars.
Have you had any comments on the look of it? Yesterday, I got "That is a nice azz ride", "That's tight" and "that's definitely different, but I think I like it"
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Lone Ranger
Posted 2007-10-05 2:38 PM (#634 - in reply to #621)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Tourer

Posts: 447
Cleveland, GA
Did you passengers say anything about the saddle bags being against their calves?
Nope. My wife is about 5'5" and said it didn't bother her in the least.

Does it not scrape up those points where it lands?
Not yet. I have demonstrated it about four times and it doesn't show any wear yet.

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Tramp
Posted 2007-10-05 4:19 PM (#635 - in reply to #634)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Cruiser

Posts: 80
thanks, good info.
BTW, what octane does the Vision take?
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Lone Ranger
Posted 2007-10-08 10:49 PM (#659 - in reply to #635)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Tourer

Posts: 447
Cleveland, GA

Tramp - 2007-10-05 3:19 PM thanks, good info. BTW, what octane does the Vision take?

At least 91 octane.  Of course, where I live there is only 87, 89, and 93.

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Vsion
Posted 2007-10-09 12:05 AM (#661 - in reply to #621)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Cruiser

Posts: 114
Southeast, AZ United States
Got mine Saturday evening. Today it was serviced and boy what a thrill it is to ride this wonderful machine. Those of you who have one know what I'm talking about, those of you who don't, need to give one a ride...

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BUCKEYE
Posted 2007-10-10 10:40 AM (#704 - in reply to #621)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Iron Butt

Posts: 904
29 Palms California
how much was the 500 mile service?
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pollolittle
Posted 2007-10-10 12:54 PM (#711 - in reply to #621)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Visionary

Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN
Here in Memphis they wanted $259 or so. I asked what the heck they were checking. The told me they change the oil and inspect it. I said I can do that. I like to do all my maintenance myself, then I know it is done right or at least wrong by me. I will try and find the service manual here in a few days.
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BUCKEYE
Posted 2007-10-10 2:12 PM (#715 - in reply to #621)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Iron Butt

Posts: 904
29 Palms California
So is the oil filter easy to access? With the 500m maintenance out of the way, what is the schedule after that?
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pollolittle
Posted 2007-10-10 2:46 PM (#719 - in reply to #621)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Visionary

Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN
They put everything in a perfect spot. The oil filter a little tough to turn by hand but managed. The oil just drains right down, maybe just a little curl under for the oil. A little degreaser and that cleans that spot up. The oil drain plug, I had to hunt, it is a 6mm allen. Just turn and it unscrews. It is recessed to so when you are looking at the bottom of the oil pan it is hidden. Clean. Book shows every 2500 mile oil changes and inspect and lube a couple of items. No biggy.
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BUCKEYE
Posted 2007-10-10 4:30 PM (#724 - in reply to #621)
Subject: Re: Got my Vision Tour this afternoon. Ride report.


Iron Butt

Posts: 904
29 Palms California
Thanks for the tips. Just seeing the 2,500 is such a burden relief on the bill fold. My hog is "was" a frequent flyer to the High Dollar maintenance shop. I
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